Mayor Tries to Find Housing Panel Chief So He Can Be Fired

The chairman of the commission that runs the city Housing Authority in Los Angeles, Alvin Green, has not attended a meeting since March 28, and Mayor Tom Bradley has been unable to reach him to demand his resignation.

Green was appointed to the Housing Commission by Bradley in December, 1983, and has served as chairman ever since. Michele Roth, a spokeswoman for the commission, confirmed Thursday that Green has missed all of the weekly meetings since March 28.

“He’s had some personal commitments,” Roth said. “We understand he is out of town.”

On Tuesday, KCBS (Channel 2) gave life to the controversy by airing a news report that criticized Green’s absence from commission meetings.

Bout of Competition

Besides disclosing that Green was missing, the report set off a bout between Bradley and his expected rival in this spring’s mayoral election.

City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky opened the volley Thursday by sending a letter to the mayor demanding that Green be removed from the Housing Commission.

Noting that conditions in the city’s public housing projects are reputed to be slum-like, Yaroslavsky wrote Bradley: “I know you share my view that hands-on leadership is required if we are to deal successfully with this problem.”

Unable to Reach Green

Early in the afternoon Thursday, a Bradley spokesman said little was known of the controversy except that the mayor had tried to call Green on Monday to discuss it. The mayor called from Boston, where he is attending a convention of the National League of Cities, but was unable to reach Green.

Later in the day, however, Bradley’s office announced that the true purpose of the phone call from Boston was to request that Green resign as commission chairman.

Spokesman Bill Chandler said the mayor has still not reached Green but will ask him to step down once contact is made.

According to Dori Pye, vice chairman of the housing panel, Green has been traveling extensively for his business as a management consultant.

Pye said Thursday that she agrees Green should step down as chairman, but she would welcome his remaining on the seven-person commission as a regular member.

“He served very fine when he was there, but he hasn’t been there,” Pye said. “Mr. Green doesn’t call me very frequently. He’s not very easy to reach.”